Herbie’s Super Black Hole CD Mat - Wow!


I just received the Herbie’s Audio Lab Super Black Hole CD mat in mail. It’s a little black disc that fits atop a CD which has silicon on one side (the side that touches the CD) and carbon fiber on the top. I’ve only listened to a few songs (electronic genre) and my first impression was simply “Wow!” I’m hearing so much further into the recording. I’m hearing the ambience much better. Notes have more texture. Imaging seems to have improved. On one track, there is a sound that is panned to the right and repeats three times. I thought it was identical on each note, but with the CD mat it’s easy to hear that on the second note, it actually moves 6 inches towards the center of the soundstage and then back out to the right. It’s always fun to rediscover your music when you find a tweak you enjoy. 
From their website, this is how they say it works:

“By reducing micro-vibration in the CD spin during playback, laser-reading error is potentially reduced. (Error correction in audio CD discs is not perfect; it is algorithm-based "guessing," not binary like in data CDs). By damping the disc/clamp interface, micro-vibrations generated by spinning discs are hindered, keeping them from permeating throughout the player where capacitors, op-amps, micro-processors, and other sensitive parts can be adversely affected.”

I can’t confirm whether or not that’s the whole story to how it works, but I’m convinced it does something amazing. I will report back after I listen to some more music of other genres.
128x128mkgus
I’d opine suspending cables and power cords is better than lifting them because suspending them kills two birds with one stone - Static electric field and seismic vibration. That was also the idea behind Enid Lumley’s Cable Tunnels of yore. At CES 97 Mapleshade and I suspended all cables and cords with a thread and a rubber band. Hey, that could be the title of a song! It’s also a good idea to hose down the carpet with industrial strength anti- static spray every once in while. Better safe than sorry.
Enid Lumley  ... Now there's a name from the past. I used to enjoy reading her articles on tweaks. She was one of the people that made me a believer. 

Frank
Enid Lumley  - I'll never forget the first thing I read of hers. I thought "Now there's a looney!"

IIRC, she claimed shining flashlight at Maggies altered the sound.
"IIRC, she claimed shining flashlight at Maggies altered the sound."  Franks probably wondering what type of batteries she had in the flashlight.  LOL
ieales ...


  • "Enid Lumley - I’ll never forget the first thing I read of hers. I thought "Now there’s a looney!"
Yep, that was my take too ... until I started experimenting with tweaks myself.

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jetter ...

  • "Franks probably wondering what type of batteries she had in the flashlight. LOL

It was a secret held tightly by Enid and HP ... They were orange.